0:00:29 > 0:00:32The Usk Valley in Wales.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34A glorious landscape shaped over the centuries
0:00:34 > 0:00:37by the power of the river that gives it its name.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40The waterways round here are teeming with life.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43But sometimes, things need a helping hand.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46These little eels would normally thrive in our fresh waters,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50but there's been a dramatic decline in eel numbers across the country.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53These guys are trying to help them.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57And the Usk Valley's got a perfect habitat for another special animal.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Hidden in this old building is a maternity unit
0:01:00 > 0:01:03for one of Britain's rarest creatures. Inside there,
0:01:03 > 0:01:08the next generation of lesser horseshoe bats are being raised.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13Later, when it gets dark, I'm hoping to see them fly.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Tom's in Northumberland,
0:01:15 > 0:01:19asking whether our thirst for energy is threatening the countryside.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Coal is making a comeback.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And as the planning laws make it easier
0:01:25 > 0:01:27to develop surface mines like this,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31will we see a lot more giant holes in the countryside?
0:01:31 > 0:01:35What does that mean for the people who live nearby?
0:01:35 > 0:01:37And for Adam, the Rare Breed Show and sale
0:01:37 > 0:01:41is one of the highlights of his year.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44This event is also a great opportunity to do some business.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48I'm hoping to sell this ram and buy some others if the price is right.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Come on, fella.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04The Usk Valley's been the southern gateway into Wales for centuries.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Starting from the Bristol Channel, it snakes north
0:02:07 > 0:02:12past the Black Mountains and continues on beyond Brecon.
0:02:12 > 0:02:17I'm near Newport, where the valley meets the sea - the Gwent levels.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20This area has always been strategically important.
0:02:20 > 0:02:22It's known as the Kingdom of Gwent.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Any invader conquering this land could control the lowland
0:02:25 > 0:02:28and highland of south Wales.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32Today, the only potential invader is the sea.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36For thousands of years, man has been reclaiming this land
0:02:36 > 0:02:38for grazing and growing crops.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42But the boisterous Severn estuary is always trying to claim it back,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45which would be a disaster, because this is one
0:02:45 > 0:02:47of the largest surviving ancient grazing marsh systems
0:02:47 > 0:02:52in the UK, home to rare species of plant and wildlife,
0:02:52 > 0:02:54who thrive in these marshes and reens -
0:02:54 > 0:02:57which is a posh word for ditch.
0:02:57 > 0:03:00Large drainage ditches, to be precise.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04There are about 100 miles of them and they were dug as an early method
0:03:04 > 0:03:08of turning wetland areas at sea level into useful pasture.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11They still work their muddy magic today.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14I'm meeting Matt Bajowski to find out what they do.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17So, explain to me how the reen system works, Matt.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20To put it simply, it's a system of man-made channels,
0:03:20 > 0:03:23designed to convert rainwater - surface water.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26Without reens and ditches, all of it would be flooded.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29Does the system operate differently during different seasons?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32Yes, it does, thanks to over 200 sluices.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36In the summer, the levels are kept deliberately high
0:03:36 > 0:03:40to stop the water from evaporating and land from drying out.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43In the winter, the water levels are drained to make way for more rain.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Simple!
0:03:45 > 0:03:48To keep the ditches in perfect working order,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52the Drainage Board's reen team carry out annual maintenance work.
0:03:52 > 0:03:58And, to do that, you need a £200,000 Italian monster of engineering.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02A super tractor, designed specifically to drive into a ditch.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06That big arm is flailing the side of the ditch,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09to prevent it from becoming overgrown,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12giving it a jolly good trim.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15It also has a cunning blade that's used to cut back the weeds growing
0:04:15 > 0:04:19at the bottom of the ditch, to stop it from getting clogged up.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23This extreme gardening keeps the reens in supreme working order,
0:04:23 > 0:04:25so they can hold the maximum amount of water.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28But there's an added bonus for wildlife.
0:04:28 > 0:04:32So, Tony, why is this maintenance work good for the wildlife?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34Well, you can see the state of this.
0:04:34 > 0:04:38If you didn't cut it back every year, it would very soon close over.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42The important thing here is to get light in. That's one year's growth.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Imagine, in two years, there'd be nothing left at all.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46It would just be vegetation with the water
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and the tunnel underneath, very dark. Nothing living under there.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52So, you've got to keep it fresh for everything -
0:04:52 > 0:04:53for the birds, the invertebrates...
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Yeah. For everything. It starts off with the plant life...
0:04:56 > 0:05:00You can see all these swallows whizzing around here at the moment.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02They're feeding on the insects, which are coming out
0:05:02 > 0:05:04in the wet conditions.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06So, the reens are like a wildlife drive-through,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08or should that be a fly-through.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Amongst the insects that feast here,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13you could be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a shrill carder bee.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Shrill carder bees are a very rare bumblebee in the UK.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20There are only six population areas, including here in the Gwent Levels.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23He looks quite small and, do you think he'd be upset -
0:05:23 > 0:05:25a bit waspy.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Well, he's very furry as well, but they are a small species
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and they have small nests and they nest above ground.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Why is this such a good location for them?
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Well, this area is very wild flower-rich,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41including habitats like meadows.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Also reens and ditches, which are wild flower-rich as well.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49And we've lost 98% of our wildflower meadows in the UK since 1930.
0:05:49 > 0:05:50These are the habitats
0:05:50 > 0:05:53that bumblebees and other insects really rely on.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56With wildlife meadow numbers at a frightening low,
0:05:56 > 0:06:00bees, including the shrill carder, need help now.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Gwent Wildlife Trust have a plan.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06So, Nicola, what is Plan Bumblebee?
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Right, Gwent Wildlife Trust have got a shrill carder bee project.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13We're trying to work with landowners on the levels,
0:06:13 > 0:06:16to help restore, create and enhance wildfire meadows.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21This one's 32 hectares and we take seed from it.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23So, seed harvesting, and then using it
0:06:23 > 0:06:25on local or adjacent landowners' fields,
0:06:25 > 0:06:30in order to enhance their wildflower diversity.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33- And generally, are farmers and landowners cooperative?- Yes.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36We're working with a few landowners on the Gwent Levels
0:06:36 > 0:06:39but we could with always do with more.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42To collect the seeds, you need this bit of kit,
0:06:42 > 0:06:45which is cleverly called a seed harvester.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49You also need this bit of kit.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Wildflowers thrive on poor soils.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01So, fields already grazed by sheep and cattle are ideal.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10This bit of kit gives the field a haircut,
0:07:10 > 0:07:14by snipping off the seedheads and storing them in a sack at the back.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Once the seeds are collected, they're cleaned
0:07:17 > 0:07:21and separated into bags and that's when the hard work really begins.
0:07:21 > 0:07:27The best way to sow the seeds of love for the bumblebee is by hand.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30No fancy machinery.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34Next year, this field will be a beautiful wildflower meadow,
0:07:34 > 0:07:37packed full of nectar-rich flowers for the shrill carder bees
0:07:37 > 0:07:42to feast on, and then the whole cycle will begin again.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Now, Wales has a rich history of coal mining,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48and now it seems the hunt for fossil fuels
0:07:48 > 0:07:50is back on all across the country.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Is it a good thing? Tom's been finding out.
0:07:57 > 0:08:03The green, green grass of the Northumberland countryside.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06An idyllic slice of Britain's rural landscape...
0:08:06 > 0:08:12except that 30 years ago, this area, in fact this very spot
0:08:12 > 0:08:15where I'm walking now, used to be at the heart
0:08:15 > 0:08:19of one of our heaviest industries... coal mining,
0:08:19 > 0:08:20though there's little evidence today
0:08:20 > 0:08:23of that industrial heritage beyond these tracks,
0:08:23 > 0:08:28which once brought coal from the face, and the old pithead up there.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Whilst here, coal may be something from the past,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34elsewhere in the country, questions are being asked
0:08:34 > 0:08:37about whether it threatens our countryside once again.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42The turf of rural Britain is being torn up
0:08:42 > 0:08:45as we return to the coalface.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48This time, cheaper and more efficient surface mines -
0:08:48 > 0:08:50what most of us call opencast -
0:08:50 > 0:08:53have replaced the pits and shafts of the past,
0:08:53 > 0:08:58all this activity fuelled by a rising value in the black stuff,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00and a relaxation of planning laws.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03The price of coal has dropped a bit in the last year.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07In the previous decade, it went up threefold.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10But not everyone's celebrating.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17Here, in the village of Halton Lea Gate, it's a quiet, pastoral scene.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20But this peace is soon to be shattered.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21If you look to my left,
0:09:21 > 0:09:25the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is under 100 metres away.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Through these gaps, you can see Hartleyburn Common.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31A company called HM Project Developments
0:09:31 > 0:09:35plans to dig 140,000 tonnes of coal out of the ground,
0:09:35 > 0:09:38on a 72-acre site, bordering this village -
0:09:38 > 0:09:42a prospect which doesn't please many of the locals.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45The boundary for the development is this fence line.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47- Just there?- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50So, immediately adjacent to the playground.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52- Is it well used?- Absolutely!
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Rules in Scotland and Wales mean there's a 500 metre exclusion zone,
0:09:56 > 0:10:00separating any proposed mines from residential areas.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03But in England, no such law exists.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Thank you.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Nick's taking me to meet one of the residents
0:10:08 > 0:10:11who'll be worst affected by having this development on her doorstep.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16So, how close will the pit actually be to here?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Just the other side, there's a road beyond the hedgerow
0:10:18 > 0:10:21and it'll be there, where the white goat is.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25- The other side of the road, it's going to be five metres tall.- Right!
0:10:25 > 0:10:28I mean, the grass doesn't grow overnight.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31It's going to be big and black.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33I spent my childhood here.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36My parents lived in two houses on the estate
0:10:36 > 0:10:38and then they moved into the village.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40My husband and I came here for the peace and quiet -
0:10:40 > 0:10:44the tranquillity - and to be near my parents.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47It would be heartbreaking if the family was split up.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51My parents are elderly. I'm here for them.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54It would just break my heart if I had to leave this village.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Do you feel you would have to leave this village if this happened?
0:10:57 > 0:11:01If it was too bad... How could you live with it?
0:11:01 > 0:11:04How could you live an ordinary life with this threatening?
0:11:04 > 0:11:07It's like standing on the edge of a precipice
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and you don't know when you're going to fall.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Although the residents may object, independent inspectors
0:11:14 > 0:11:17have considered the mine's impact acceptable.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21This does little to allay local fears that the site, which will be open
0:11:21 > 0:11:22for three and a half years,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25will bring with it traffic, noise, dirt and disruption.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28If you think that much of this argument smacks of
0:11:28 > 0:11:32"not in my backyard", though, here's something worth considering.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37There are already 32 opencast coal mines operating in the UK.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40We've discovered there's another big delivery on the way.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Up to 47 more are in the pipeline,
0:11:43 > 0:11:47nine in Ayrshire and a few more here in the West of Scotland.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Many are near residential areas.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55That's because the seams of opencast coal lie near the old collieries
0:11:55 > 0:11:58that communities sprung up around in the last century.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00Of course, our lifestyles and livelihoods
0:12:00 > 0:12:03have changed considerably since then.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08So, if you live near one of these areas, how keen will you be
0:12:08 > 0:12:12to see coal coming out from close to your backyard?
0:12:12 > 0:12:15You might not like the idea of it on your doorstep,
0:12:15 > 0:12:19but is coal something we can afford to do without?
0:12:19 > 0:12:23To find out, I'm visiting one of UK Coal's mines near Ashington.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28This really is the ultimate Tonka toy.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Amazing scale close up!
0:12:31 > 0:12:35This beast is just one in an army of trucks,
0:12:35 > 0:12:40heading out to a mine, holding over 2 million tonnes of coal.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It's run by Britain's biggest coal producer,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46who's been mining our land for over 40 years.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50An amazing hole in the ground when you see it close up, isn't it?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53The site's over 130 ft deep
0:12:53 > 0:12:57and there's permission to dig up 600 acres over a six-year period.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01It's close! When you come down,
0:13:01 > 0:13:04it looks like quite a big drop-off there, doesn't it?
0:13:04 > 0:13:07All this creates quite an impact.
0:13:08 > 0:13:13So, why is this hefty, greenhouse gas emitting fuel so sought after?
0:13:13 > 0:13:16It's an impressively chunky operation
0:13:16 > 0:13:19but also a pretty ugly scar on the landscape.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21Why do you need to do this?
0:13:21 > 0:13:25It's all about supplying the UK with coal.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29We're here for a while. We bring it all up again and we go away.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32This is all part of the UK's energy mix and keeping the lights on.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35At any one time, there'll be a minimum of 30%
0:13:35 > 0:13:38of the UK's electricity comes from coal.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41In the winter, it gets up to as much as 40, 50%.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43What do you think the public attitude should be
0:13:43 > 0:13:45to opencast mining?
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I think it's a question of us getting the public,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50who live near our sites,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53to understand what we're all about - understand the process -
0:13:53 > 0:13:54understand we're here
0:13:54 > 0:13:57for a very short period of time and then we go away again.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59It's all a question of educating
0:13:59 > 0:14:02and understanding that we need to get the coal out
0:14:02 > 0:14:06to keep people's homes lit and factories working.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10It sounds a bit like you think you're a necessary evil.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12You could put it that way.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14And it seems like the Government agrees,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16because they've introduced new legislation,
0:14:16 > 0:14:20making it easier for more mines to spring up.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Planning laws used to say that
0:14:22 > 0:14:25"in applying the principles of sustainable development
0:14:25 > 0:14:28"to coal extraction, "the Government believes
0:14:28 > 0:14:31"there should normally be a presumption against development."
0:14:31 > 0:14:35But new laws brought in this March now favour development,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38stressing that "minerals are essential
0:14:38 > 0:14:42"to support sustainable economic growth and our quality of life."
0:14:43 > 0:14:45So what does this all mean?
0:14:45 > 0:14:47Well, at Halton Lea Gate,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50the first place where these new rules have been put to the test,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54it means that a local victory has been reversed.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56This is the second time recently
0:14:56 > 0:14:58there has been an application for open cast on this site.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01Both times, they were refused by the councillors,
0:15:01 > 0:15:02and this particular time
0:15:02 > 0:15:05the applicant appealed against the decision
0:15:05 > 0:15:08and the Secretary of State Inspector
0:15:08 > 0:15:12- decided in his wisdom to allow it. - Does it seem like the local view
0:15:12 > 0:15:16- is being overturned by a national decision?- It seems that way.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20County-wise, we have done our best for the community,
0:15:20 > 0:15:25but the inspector has driven a coach and horses through the policies.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30It's claimed the new planning laws help empower local people,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33but here they feel powerless.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Later, I'll be discovering how this feeling is spreading
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and looking at the long term impact for communities.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50The Usk Valley - tranquil and glowing in the late September sun.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55Soon autumn will strip the leaves, but for now they're vividly green -
0:15:55 > 0:15:56full of life.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59I'm here because of one rare creature
0:15:59 > 0:16:01that's made this place its stronghold.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05Hidden deep in these woods
0:16:05 > 0:16:08is the biggest roost of lesser horseshoe bats
0:16:08 > 0:16:10anywhere in western Europe.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14A team of guardians is pushing at the boundaries to protect them
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and I have been invited to the secret location of this roost
0:16:18 > 0:16:21to find out how they are making a big difference
0:16:21 > 0:16:24to the lives of these tiny mammals.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Weighing as little as five grams,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31this is one of the smallest bats in Europe.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34It's named after its horseshoe shaped nose which it uses
0:16:34 > 0:16:35to amplify its calls.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39These bats feed under the shelter of treetops and fly along hedgerows
0:16:39 > 0:16:42feasting on midges and other small insects.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Because we've been grubbing up hedgerows at an alarming rate,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47the species is in trouble,
0:16:47 > 0:16:52except here in South Wales, where its habitat has largely survived.
0:16:55 > 0:16:5819th century stone buildings with slate roofs
0:16:58 > 0:17:01are the favourite roosting spot for these bats,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03so this place is ideal for them.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And there are no less than 900 living on the top floor.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11What makes it even more special is that this is a maternity unit.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15More lesser-horseshoe bats are born in this disused building
0:17:15 > 0:17:19than any other roost in the country. The Vincent Wildlife Trust,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22which keeps guard here, aims to encourage even more.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Henry Schofield is the Trust's bat expert.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29Why are these bats so very particular about where they live?
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Historically, they used to roost in caves all year round
0:17:32 > 0:17:35but they have actually adopted human structures
0:17:35 > 0:17:37that mimic those original roosts.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41And did the bats themselves choose this as a maternity place?
0:17:41 > 0:17:45Yeah, effectively, they did. They have obviously got somewhere
0:17:45 > 0:17:48that is perfect for them and moved in here in large numbers.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51The team has converted this building into a top-spec bat roost,
0:17:51 > 0:17:55reroofed, with new windows and special entrances.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58The bats shelter safely here.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01What stage are they at now?
0:18:01 > 0:18:03They are a few months old now, so they are flying.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08They practically are the same size as the adults, and they will be out
0:18:08 > 0:18:11foraging and probably still following their mothers, in some cases,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14to foraging areas and learning the terrain around here.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19At twilight, they'll emerge. So under the watchful eye of Henry,
0:18:19 > 0:18:23we're setting up our night vision cameras. I'll be coming back later,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25hoping to catch a glimpse.
0:18:25 > 0:18:29But while it's still light, I'll check out another project
0:18:29 > 0:18:31the Trust is taking on - an unexpected landmark
0:18:31 > 0:18:35that's here because the valley has always been a gateway to Wales.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39It's hard to make it out, but this was actually
0:18:39 > 0:18:41a Second World War pillbox,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44now heavily camouflaged by decades of vegetation, but it's one
0:18:44 > 0:18:48of several that were built along the River Usk
0:18:48 > 0:18:51to defend against invasion. Now, though,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54it would make a very nice piece of real estate for bats.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58- Into the darkness!- Ha-ha!
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Project officer Jane Sedgeley is sizing it up.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05This is like a man-made cave, isn't it?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08It is. It's the closest to a cave you could get, I think.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Is there any sign that bats have been in here, do you think?
0:19:12 > 0:19:17- The most obvious sign is droppings.- Anything around here?
0:19:17 > 0:19:21I'm not sure what a bat dropping looks like.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25It is like a mouse dropping, very small.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28- Oh!- Yep, yep, that's one there. Look at that!
0:19:28 > 0:19:33- And what sort of bat do you reckon left that?- A lesser horseshoe.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36It's like a string of sausages divided in the middle,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- so very distinctive. - Very descriptive!
0:19:39 > 0:19:43What can you do to make it more attractive for bats?
0:19:43 > 0:19:47There are lots of windows, so I think we will block them up
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- because it will be very draughty. - They don't like a draught.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53No! Absolutely not. They are looking for somewhere nice and cosy
0:19:53 > 0:19:56to come and hang up in the night, digest their food,
0:19:56 > 0:19:59have a bit of a groom and a rest and then off out again.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04As the light fades, the bats over at the maternity roost
0:20:04 > 0:20:08are stirring. Our night-vision kit is set,
0:20:08 > 0:20:12and Henry can tell just when they'll be ready to leave.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15As you can hear, there is some activity in there already.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19This is a bat detector and is picking up the bat echolocation calls
0:20:19 > 0:20:22and turning them into a sound we can hear, because it's obviously
0:20:22 > 0:20:24well above our hearing.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27The bats have obviously woken up. They're flying around in there,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29so I think in the next five to ten minutes,
0:20:29 > 0:20:30we'll see the first come out.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I'm very excited by it. You must have seen it 100 times,
0:20:33 > 0:20:37- 1000 times, maybe, but I have never seen it.- It always excites me.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39- But we've had two go out already. - Oh, yeah!
0:20:39 > 0:20:42BATS CALL
0:20:42 > 0:20:47- And back in again. - And back in again.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52Soon, night has fallen, and the whole roost is taking to the sky.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55(They're so quick. They're starting to come.)
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Do we need a licence to be so close to them?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04You need a license to come in to roost and handle them
0:21:04 > 0:21:08but we are sat here away from the roost and the cameras we are using
0:21:08 > 0:21:13are infra red and set up remotely, so we're not causing any disturbance.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17- It's quite all right?- It's OK to be doing what we're doing.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22BATS TWITTER
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Oh! Another one!
0:21:26 > 0:21:28How far will they travel?
0:21:28 > 0:21:30Usually, they stay within two kilometres of the roost
0:21:30 > 0:21:34but we've radio tracked them and some of them go up to six kilometres,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37which is quite a distance for a small animal.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39And they'll be back in the roost after a couple of hours?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42At this time of the year, yes. In the middle of the summer
0:21:42 > 0:21:45they'll stay out all night.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49BATS CALL
0:21:51 > 0:21:55- Will the pups come back here to have their babies?- Yes.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00And that's why these roosts build up. So this maternity colony is made up
0:22:00 > 0:22:03of mothers and daughters and sisters and aunts and nieces -
0:22:03 > 0:22:05they're all interrelated.
0:22:05 > 0:22:11Before long, the last of this huge bat family is heading out to feed.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Tonight's bat-watch has come to an end.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18So now the night sky is once again bat territory.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22And it's good to know that in this corner of the UK at least,
0:22:22 > 0:22:27this small, incredibly vulnerable little creature is doing well
0:22:27 > 0:22:30and keeping down the midges!
0:22:35 > 0:22:39A few miles south from John, I'm seeking out another rare inhabitant
0:22:39 > 0:22:42that's made this valley home.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46This is Magor Marsh and is perfect pasture for water voles.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50They used to be as common as rabbits around here. Not any more.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55I'm meeting Alice Rees
0:22:55 > 0:22:58from The Gwent Wildlife Trust to find out why.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Alice, where have all the voles gone?
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Really, loss of habitat is one of the main reasons why water voles
0:23:04 > 0:23:07have declined across the UK, not only here, but on top of that,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09it's also mink, non-native American mink,
0:23:09 > 0:23:12and they basically just feast on voles
0:23:12 > 0:23:15and voles really don't have any way to get away from them.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18We've been trapping mink on the reserve now for six years
0:23:18 > 0:23:23and have been using volunteer help to survey a much wider area
0:23:23 > 0:23:26around the reserve, to capture any mink in the buffer zone
0:23:26 > 0:23:30around the reserve to protect the voles we release.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33With months of preparation and the mink at bay,
0:23:33 > 0:23:36the plan is to introduce a new water vole community to the marsh.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40And today, I'm lucky enough to witness their very first release.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42- You take that one. - You take the adult, Alice.
0:23:42 > 0:23:47I have got the family. A very precious cargo. A family of voles!
0:23:47 > 0:23:52What makes this such a good location to release the water voles?
0:23:52 > 0:23:56We're really lucky here and have a fantastic habitat for water vole.
0:23:56 > 0:24:01We have got a good complex system of reens and ditches which have
0:24:01 > 0:24:03really good bankside vegetation
0:24:03 > 0:24:07because water voles need a very varied diet of grasses,
0:24:07 > 0:24:09sedges and rushes.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12The four younger voles are going to spend a few days
0:24:12 > 0:24:15acclimatising on the bank. Being put straight into the water
0:24:15 > 0:24:19would be too much of a shock for them. But we're moving
0:24:19 > 0:24:22these captive bred voles to a larger pen, tail first.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25These guys can bite!
0:24:25 > 0:24:27When you think about water voles,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30you think about these sweet little creatures.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34They are a bit bigger, aren't they? A bit more rat-sized.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37These water voles will be released in a few days' time,
0:24:37 > 0:24:41but the older one is about to get his first taste of freedom.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45Don't bite me! There we go. There you go, little fella.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47We can both breathe easy!
0:24:51 > 0:24:54They don't know it, but this is a big moment in their voley lives.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57If we can get him out of here!
0:25:00 > 0:25:02VOLE SQUEAKS
0:25:02 > 0:25:03Little noise!
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- Got him? There we go.- Here he is. - There we go. OK.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17There we are. The big moment of release. And he's off!
0:25:17 > 0:25:22Look at that! What a beautiful moment!
0:25:24 > 0:25:28- He's a good swimmer as well. - That is fantastic.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29While he gets used to his new home,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32here's what's coming up in the rest of the programme.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36John's getting stuck in helping a community project
0:25:36 > 0:25:37with green credentials...
0:25:37 > 0:25:39It's a kind of human chain.
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Adam's giving his rams a makeover, ready to impress the judges...
0:25:43 > 0:25:47I can work on him stood there, go right round him,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51sort out his wool, his horns, his face, get him looking
0:25:51 > 0:25:54at his very best before he goes into the show ring.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58And we'll have the Countryfile weather forecast for the week ahead.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Earlier, Tom was investigating how a comeback in coal mining
0:26:11 > 0:26:14is sweeping the country. So, as new planning laws
0:26:14 > 0:26:18make mining our land easier, how are communities coping
0:26:18 > 0:26:21and will this change the face of our countryside for ever?
0:26:22 > 0:26:27Northumberland - a county of rolling hills, Roman history
0:26:27 > 0:26:30and loads of coal.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35Well over a million tons is dug out of this county every year
0:26:35 > 0:26:38and because of a change in the planning laws,
0:26:38 > 0:26:42there will be much more extracted from the whole country in the future.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Locals at Halton Lea Gate
0:26:47 > 0:26:51have twice defeated plans for an open cast mine on their doorstep,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54but new rules means the decision of the local council
0:26:54 > 0:26:58have been overruled on appeal at a national level.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01This has left councillors like Ian Hutchinson
0:27:01 > 0:27:06feeling like communities are losing control of their own destiny.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10What impact has the decision here made on other similar applications?
0:27:10 > 0:27:16Because of the decision on Halton Lea Gate being overturned,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18then it more or less, I would say, set a precedent.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20It's probably not a phrase you would use
0:27:20 > 0:27:23but if Halton Lea Gate is not safe,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26does that give you a feeling nowhere is?
0:27:26 > 0:27:29It has that feeling. Yeah.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36Many people may be worried about living next to the coalface,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39but at least their impact is not permanent.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41Licences to dig are granted
0:27:41 > 0:27:45for a set period of time and those running them must restore the land
0:27:45 > 0:27:48when they have finished - something which is already happening
0:27:48 > 0:27:51at UK Coal's site near Ashington.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54It's surprising how quickly the countryside can be restored.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Behind me, you have still got mining going on in the distance.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02Then here, they are just beginning to restore this field
0:28:02 > 0:28:06and there, you have got a crop of hay taken from a place
0:28:06 > 0:28:10where they were digging out coal under two years ago.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12So although there may be temporary trauma,
0:28:12 > 0:28:17in the long term, aren't communities and their countryside protected?
0:28:18 > 0:28:20The residents of Halton Lea Gate
0:28:20 > 0:28:23worry that that's not necessarily the case.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27I don't think people appreciate properly how bad this is.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31Nick Kennon has brought me to a former open cast site
0:28:31 > 0:28:35- a few miles from their village. - We are actually below ground level
0:28:35 > 0:28:39because they have literally cut straight through that side.
0:28:39 > 0:28:42Before the mine even came, the ground would have been...
0:28:42 > 0:28:44Way above our heads.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47This mine was run by a company who have now closed down.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49They left it over a decade ago
0:28:49 > 0:28:52without making good the land as promised.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I can see there is some evidence of the coal still here
0:28:55 > 0:29:00and it's interesting, it's not only here where it's muddy, but there,
0:29:00 > 0:29:04very little is growing after 15 years, as you say,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07- so it is not a very...- Nice weeds! - ..not a very fertile landscape.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10What do you think, looking at this?
0:29:10 > 0:29:12I think...
0:29:12 > 0:29:14HE SIGHS
0:29:14 > 0:29:19..would I trust a developer to come to our neighbourhood
0:29:19 > 0:29:24with grand plans, grand restoration plans, when I know
0:29:24 > 0:29:26this is one and a half miles from my home?
0:29:28 > 0:29:31We asked HM Project Development, who plan to develop the site
0:29:31 > 0:29:35at Halton Lea Gate, to talk to us about these concerns,
0:29:35 > 0:29:36but they refused.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39However, they did tell us that the company have agreed
0:29:39 > 0:29:41to put in place a restoration bond
0:29:41 > 0:29:44as part of a legally binding agreement
0:29:44 > 0:29:47to guarantee the long-term restoration of the site.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49The company are not obliged to do this,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52but have made the offer to give the local community confidence.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00It's true that the vast majority of mines are returned
0:30:00 > 0:30:02to valuable countryside once again,
0:30:02 > 0:30:05like this former UK Coal site near Morpeth.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11What you're looking at is the site of a surface mine
0:30:11 > 0:30:13that was here just over ten years ago.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Here you can see a habitat for migrating birds,
0:30:16 > 0:30:19which we've given back to Northumberland Wildlife Trust,
0:30:19 > 0:30:22and beyond that you've got beautiful arable farming land
0:30:22 > 0:30:23that's in productive use.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26So pretty much everything I can see here, the lake, the reeds,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29some of the trees, and the farmland, you put that all back?
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- Yes, absolutely.- And how do you feel about it, looking at it now?
0:30:32 > 0:30:34This is the thing we're most proud of, really, in everything we do.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37It gives us a chance to work with the community
0:30:37 > 0:30:39whilst we're operating, work with them afterwards,
0:30:39 > 0:30:40and put something back.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45It seems that a comeback for coal could have the power
0:30:45 > 0:30:47to keep our lights on, and in the long term,
0:30:47 > 0:30:49keep the countryside intact.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52That's when it's done right.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55But coal mining is not quick and easy cash,
0:30:55 > 0:30:56and if it all goes wrong,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59you leave not only scars on the landscape,
0:30:59 > 0:31:01but also on the community.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07Today, we're in the Usk Valley,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09nestling among the hills of South Wales.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14One of the best ways to experience its splendour is by foot,
0:31:14 > 0:31:16so I'm taking one of its many trails.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24The river Usk winds its way from the Brecon Beacons down
0:31:24 > 0:31:27to the sea at Newport, through mesmerising countryside.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30It's said that this rolling landscape inspired the hymn
0:31:30 > 0:31:33All Things Bright And Beautiful, and it's easy to see why -
0:31:33 > 0:31:37the purple-headed mountains, the river running by.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42Nobody knows if that's true, but this place certainly sings.
0:31:42 > 0:31:47(CHOIR) # All things bright and beautiful... #
0:31:47 > 0:31:51I'm on a bit of a ramble along this bright and beautiful valley,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54but I'm not just here to look at the scenery.
0:31:54 > 0:31:58Recently, the valley's seen an upsurge in new businesses.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01The difference here is that they're eco-friendly.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05These green businesses want to protect the environment
0:32:05 > 0:32:09and at the same time regenerate the valley's rural communities.
0:32:09 > 0:32:12To do that, some locals have been getting creative.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18'Like Farmer John Lilley here, who's got a neat line in producing
0:32:18 > 0:32:20'electric vehicles like this sports car.'
0:32:20 > 0:32:21How fast will it go, John?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Oh, we've not had it much above 100 miles an hour.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27'While farming the hills,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30'John hit on this unusual form of diversification,
0:32:30 > 0:32:33'and because the valley is his home,
0:32:33 > 0:32:36'this is where he set up his workshop.'
0:32:39 > 0:32:40Right. Let's get out.
0:32:42 > 0:32:43That was quite something, John.
0:32:43 > 0:32:4530 miles an hour in this feels like 80!
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And how did it all start, then?
0:32:49 > 0:32:50Well, it started really
0:32:50 > 0:32:54when I wanted an electric quad bike for the farm,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58so I thought, "Well, if I can't buy one, I'll make one."
0:32:58 > 0:33:01So that's when I made the first buggy.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03'With his new quad bike in production,
0:33:03 > 0:33:06'John's been getting under the bonnet of all sorts of vehicles,
0:33:06 > 0:33:09'including one I'm particularly fond of.'
0:33:09 > 0:33:10Here's an old Triumph Herald.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14I used to have one of these in the 1960s. Lovely little car.
0:33:14 > 0:33:16Well, it's a bit different under the bonnet from
0:33:16 > 0:33:18- a conventional Triumph Herald. - Yeah, goodness me!
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Instead of the engine and radiator, we've got a block of batteries
0:33:22 > 0:33:25and then a set of control gear
0:33:25 > 0:33:27which controls the power going to the motor.
0:33:27 > 0:33:30So how much would this electric motor cost?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33Well, the motor on its own is probably about
0:33:33 > 0:33:35two and a half thousand pounds.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38The gear in here at the moment is about £6,000 worth.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40And then we have the labour on top.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42'That's a big price tag, but as John says,
0:33:42 > 0:33:45'electric engines are far more energy-efficient
0:33:45 > 0:33:47'than those using fossil fuels.'
0:33:47 > 0:33:52You've got a beautiful-looking Triumph Herald with a new age motor.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55Indeed, the customer's very pleased with this one.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58So have you got plans, John, to expand here?
0:33:58 > 0:34:01No, we haven't really got plans for expansion.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05We're very happy with the size we are, doing special little builds.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07We can't compete with the big multinationals when they start
0:34:07 > 0:34:11building electric cars, so we'll just carry on in our own gentle way,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15building unusual vehicles for people with unusual tastes.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- In this lovely place.- Indeed. I wouldn't want to move away.
0:34:19 > 0:34:24'John's not alone in wanting to live and work in this valley.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26'Just downstream in Llangattock,
0:34:26 > 0:34:29'250 people are part of a community enterprise
0:34:29 > 0:34:32'that'll help secure their village's future.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35'They're finding new ways to create jobs
0:34:35 > 0:34:37'that'll safeguard the local economy
0:34:37 > 0:34:40'while working in harmony with nature.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42They've called it Llangattock Green Valleys,
0:34:42 > 0:34:46'and Michael Butterfield, the director, is leading the way.'
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Just looking around at this wonderful landscape,
0:34:49 > 0:34:51it would be a real tragedy, wouldn't it,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54if a village like this stopped being sustainable?
0:34:54 > 0:34:58Very much so. We know, even in the county where we live,
0:34:58 > 0:35:02there is a migration of people from the county.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05We know that locally there is not much here
0:35:05 > 0:35:07for the next generation coming through.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10I think as a community, and it's not unique here,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12we've become disconnected with the environment around us.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16We know through projects that we're doing, long-term,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18it will provide local employment here.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21'And the enterprise is already creating jobs.
0:35:21 > 0:35:25'One has gone to Hugh Lloyd, manager of the woodland programme.'
0:35:25 > 0:35:27So what's the project today, then, Hugh?
0:35:27 > 0:35:31Well, today we're clearing invasive species from along the canal bank.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34This wood, we cut last winter, and it's been so wet
0:35:34 > 0:35:37that we haven't been able to extract anything until now.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40- Here's one...here's one we cut earlier.- Oh, I see.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42A kind of human chain, is it, coming out there?
0:35:42 > 0:35:44So what happens to all this wood now?
0:35:44 > 0:35:46You're loading it onto the barge.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49- Then what?- Yes, well, a couple of hundred yards down the canal
0:35:49 > 0:35:51and we'll take the wood off,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54process it using our mechanised wood processor...
0:35:54 > 0:35:57- And you sell it on?- The volunteers will take an allocation,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59and then what's left, we can sell on to the community.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02And it's good to see so many people in one community
0:36:02 > 0:36:04taking part, isn't it?
0:36:04 > 0:36:08It is very, very good. Llangattock is a fantastic example
0:36:08 > 0:36:13of how enthusiastic people can get when they see a project like this.
0:36:14 > 0:36:20'Hydro and solar power are among other projects on the agenda here,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23'and the profits are then ploughed back into the scheme.
0:36:23 > 0:36:24'But in the long term,
0:36:24 > 0:36:28'the next generation must be willing to take on the mantle.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33'And that's where these children come in. Meet the Eco Club.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35'Where woodland has been cleared,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38'they're building bug hotels to encourage wildlife,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42'and they're happy to get their hands dirty.'
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Hello! Why do bugs need a hotel?
0:36:46 > 0:36:50So that they can breed and survive and hibernate.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54So, are you the whole of the Eco Club at your school?
0:36:54 > 0:36:58No, we have around about 30 people in our Eco Club.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01And what kind of things are you doing in school, then?
0:37:01 > 0:37:06We're recycling plastic bottles, the big plastic bottles,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09to make a bottle greenhouse,
0:37:09 > 0:37:13and we try and encourage everyone in the village
0:37:13 > 0:37:16to go eco.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20So they've got the right idea, and it seems to be catching on.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23Half a dozen other villages around the valley have started
0:37:23 > 0:37:25similar projects in their communities.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30It's good to see the locals really caring
0:37:30 > 0:37:34about this beautiful landscape that I've been travelling through,
0:37:34 > 0:37:36and not only that, but taking hands-on action
0:37:36 > 0:37:39to make sure that this landscape is protected,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43and that the people who live within it have a future.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53In the Leicestershire town of Melton Mowbray,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56the traditional native breed show and sale
0:37:56 > 0:37:59spotlights our more unusual farm animals.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02Here, farmers get the best of their breed
0:38:02 > 0:38:04judged against each other
0:38:04 > 0:38:07before hopefully selling them on at auction.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Adam has high hopes of a fistful of rosettes.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21All the sheep have to be in by 10 o'clock today.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Then they're to be inspected to make sure they're up to scratch,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26and hopefully we'll pick up some rosettes,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29and therefore get a premium price for our rams,
0:38:29 > 0:38:33and tomorrow is the sale day
0:38:33 > 0:38:35when all the sheep and cattle are sold,
0:38:35 > 0:38:37and it's then that we do some business.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42It's going to be a busy couple of days.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45I'm going to be showing, judging, buying and selling.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50First order of the day -
0:38:50 > 0:38:53I need to get my Norfolk Horn rams looking as handsome as possible.
0:38:53 > 0:38:59There! What you do is, you put the ram's head in the yoke,
0:38:59 > 0:39:04and now I can work on him stood there, go right round him,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07sort out his wool, his horns, his face, get him looking
0:39:07 > 0:39:10at his very best before he goes into the show ring.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13I'm not the only proud farmer sprucing up their sheep.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15These are some of the finest of any breed
0:39:15 > 0:39:19found anywhere in the country, and the competition's fierce.
0:39:19 > 0:39:21SHEEP BLEATS
0:39:24 > 0:39:27But just as I'm getting ready to show my rams,
0:39:27 > 0:39:29the inspectors have spotted a problem.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32There's a little bit of controversy, because the people
0:39:32 > 0:39:35who inspect the sheep are concerned about my ram's teeth.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38So there's his teeth. He's got his baby teeth here,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40and he should have two big teeth there.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43But it looks like they may have been knocked out, which is the concern,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45rather than just coming through.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49If I get this other ram, you can see his teeth -
0:39:49 > 0:39:51there's the two big ones.
0:39:51 > 0:39:55So the jury's out at the moment, but we'll soon find out.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Unless they've broken off...
0:39:57 > 0:39:59'I assumed that his teeth just hadn't come through yet,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02'but they may have been knocked out. The vet's checking him over.'
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Still not quite sure exactly what's going on in his mouth,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09but the card graders need to decide whether he's good enough
0:40:09 > 0:40:11to go into the show ring or not.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15And of course, a sheep with no teeth means that he can't eat properly,
0:40:15 > 0:40:17so, you know, it needs to be got right,
0:40:17 > 0:40:21and I wouldn't want to sell a ram that wasn't perfect.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23'After much discussion, I decided not to show him.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25'It's a disappointing start,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27'but I still have high hopes for my remaining ram.'
0:40:33 > 0:40:35Outside, the show is well and truly under way.
0:40:35 > 0:40:39I'm up against three other Norfolk Horn rams.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54The judge goes down the line checking each ram individually,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58checking on teeth, testicles, feet and body.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02One of the problems in judging is that
0:41:02 > 0:41:05very few sheep are absolutely perfect,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09and the judge has to decide which one is the best of the group.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14The judge whittles it down to mine and one other.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17It's a tense moment as he compares them against each other.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22Great, thank you very much.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24- Yeah, it's a good ram. - Thank you very much.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26- That's very close. - Thank you, thank you.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31I'm absolutely delighted. First prize!
0:41:32 > 0:41:34And the good news keeps coming.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38My Castlemilk Moorit and my North Ronaldsay rams
0:41:38 > 0:41:40both win first prizes as well.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42But I haven't got time to dilly-dally.
0:41:42 > 0:41:48Now I've got to change outfits and go judging Dexter cattle.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51And this is their national show today,
0:41:51 > 0:41:53so it's very important to them,
0:41:53 > 0:41:55and quite an honour for me to be asked to judge.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58Dexters are a miniature breed of cattle.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00They're ideal for smallholders
0:42:00 > 0:42:04as they produce good quality meat and milk.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07The first thing I've done is watch the cows walk around.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Mobility is very important in all animals,
0:42:10 > 0:42:12and their feet should be nice and straight,
0:42:12 > 0:42:14not twisted out or twisted in.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Good strength in the bones.
0:42:16 > 0:42:20And now, when I've got them lined up, I'm looking at their faces,
0:42:20 > 0:42:22how attractive they are as cattle,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24how they fit with the breed standards,
0:42:24 > 0:42:27and whether one stands out more than the other.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31OK, I've made my decision. Right, thank you very much.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Congratulations. She's a really lovely cow,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35- and obviously doing a lot for you. - Thank you.
0:42:37 > 0:42:39The best of all the different cattle breeds are then
0:42:39 > 0:42:42judged against each other to decide the champion of champions.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44..a nice little Dexter cow...
0:42:44 > 0:42:45I wouldn't like to pick a winner,
0:42:45 > 0:42:50but they've got a judge with a lot more experience than me - my dad.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53There's four different breeds in the ring - the Dexter,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55the traditional Hereford, the Longhorn,
0:42:55 > 0:42:56and the pole British White.
0:42:56 > 0:43:01Personally, I would go for the traditional Hereford
0:43:01 > 0:43:02and then the Dexter.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04'But I'm wrong. He's given it to the British White.'
0:43:04 > 0:43:07Why did you go for the British White, not the Hereford?
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Basically, because the Hereford was badly behaved.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12She was towing him round the ring, wasn't she?
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Yes, and as it walked out, it nearly had me in the ribs!
0:43:16 > 0:43:18Somebody said "That's because you put it down".
0:43:18 > 0:43:21I said, "That's why I put it down!"
0:43:22 > 0:43:25My last task of the day is one of the hardest.
0:43:25 > 0:43:30I need to decide the best sheep from 18 different breeds.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34This is an almost impossible job that Adam's got here today,
0:43:34 > 0:43:37because all these breeds are so different.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40I really like that black and white Jacob ram,
0:43:40 > 0:43:44and I also liked the Teeswater that he's just been looking at.
0:43:46 > 0:43:47'Great minds think alike.
0:43:47 > 0:43:49'It's an incredibly tough decision...'
0:43:49 > 0:43:50- Congratulations!- Thank you very much.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53- 'But eventually, I pick the Teeswater.'- Fantastic.
0:43:53 > 0:43:54Great.
0:43:54 > 0:43:58Well, for a ram of his age, I thought he did very well.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02You know, he's got great teeth, he's got good feet, lovely wool,
0:44:02 > 0:44:04fantastic physique on him,
0:44:04 > 0:44:07and he just caught my eye as soon as he came into the ring.
0:44:08 > 0:44:09'It's a good end to the day,
0:44:09 > 0:44:11'but tomorrow is when all the business gets done.'
0:44:19 > 0:44:23Today it's sale day, and this is when the business begins,
0:44:23 > 0:44:27and hopefully our sheep fetch some good prices.
0:44:27 > 0:44:30'With three first place rosettes in the bag,
0:44:30 > 0:44:33'I am confident my sheep will sell well today.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35'I also need new breeding stock,
0:44:35 > 0:44:37'so I am looking for some good rams to buy.'
0:44:37 > 0:44:42This was third prize. 999 is his lot number.
0:44:42 > 0:44:47'There is time before the auction to check out some possibilities,
0:44:47 > 0:44:50'including this smart looking North Ronaldsay Ram.
0:44:50 > 0:44:52'But only if the price is right.'
0:44:54 > 0:44:56BELL RINGS
0:44:56 > 0:44:59Ram buyers. Thank you very much.
0:44:59 > 0:45:03At 95, 180, 200. Champion...
0:45:03 > 0:45:07'The rams get brought in and sold really quickly.
0:45:07 > 0:45:10'Before I know it, the North Ronaldsay I had my eye on comes in.'
0:45:10 > 0:45:13At 40, 45, 50.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16At 50, bid 50. He's here for sale.
0:45:16 > 0:45:20Third for 50. Look at this. Cotswold farm, thank you.
0:45:20 > 0:45:24Got him! Excellent. I've just got to sell mine now.
0:45:24 > 0:45:28Prices seem good. The champion Teeswater I chose yesterday
0:45:28 > 0:45:30makes a good price.
0:45:30 > 0:45:33500. Thank you at 500.
0:45:33 > 0:45:36APPLAUSE
0:45:36 > 0:45:39'Maybe I will too.'
0:45:39 > 0:45:42A lovely example of a ram, the Norfolk ram,
0:45:42 > 0:45:45a quality beast as you can see there.
0:45:45 > 0:45:49What will we say for this one? Give me 400. 300 to start me. 300.
0:45:49 > 0:45:55200. Thank you, sir. 200 bid. Here for sale. 200 bid.
0:45:55 > 0:46:01At 200, bid is now 220, 240, 260, at 260 bid,
0:46:01 > 0:46:03we have got 280, fresh bidder.
0:46:03 > 0:46:09280, 300 guineas. At 300 now. What a fine Norfolk Ram this is.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11At 300 now, at 300,
0:46:11 > 0:46:15it's your last chance. It's going to be sold
0:46:15 > 0:46:18for 300 guineas. Thank you, sir. 300.
0:46:18 > 0:46:22And the number is G1043. Thank you very much
0:46:24 > 0:46:25Thank you. Fantastic.
0:46:25 > 0:46:28Thank you. On to the next one, then. All Norfolks.
0:46:28 > 0:46:30All Norfolks.
0:46:30 > 0:46:33I sold my first prize Norfolk horn ram for 300 guineas.
0:46:33 > 0:46:38A guinea is £1.05. The auctioneer keeps the five pence in every pound.
0:46:38 > 0:46:39That is really good.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42The second prize ram actually made a bit more than mine.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48'In the end, my dad manages to sell my ram
0:46:48 > 0:46:50'and I pick up a decent Hebridean Ram as well.
0:46:50 > 0:46:54'I am pretty happy with a good day's business.'
0:46:55 > 0:46:57- We are a little bit richer, anyway. - Good.
0:46:57 > 0:47:01Once I've done the maths, we've made on it, so it's a good day's work.
0:47:10 > 0:47:13Next week, I will be helping out with the apple harvest
0:47:13 > 0:47:15at an orchard in Herefordshire.
0:47:18 > 0:47:20In a moment, I will be finding out what is being done
0:47:20 > 0:47:23to help a curious little creature that spends a large part of its life
0:47:23 > 0:47:26in the lakes and rivers in the Usk Valley.
0:47:26 > 0:47:28But first, here is the weather for the week ahead.
0:49:50 > 0:49:57.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10The enigmatic Usk Valley.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13For thousands of years, it has been a natural gateway
0:50:13 > 0:50:16to Wales for explorers, armies, cargo, and eels.
0:50:19 > 0:50:20Yes, eels.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24These fascinating elongated little fish start their lives
0:50:24 > 0:50:27here in the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda.
0:50:27 > 0:50:29The adult females lay millions of eggs,
0:50:29 > 0:50:33which slowly metamorphose into glass eels and then elvers,
0:50:33 > 0:50:36all the while drifting east on the warm currents
0:50:36 > 0:50:38towards our European shores.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43Many find their way up into the Bristol Channel on the strong
0:50:43 > 0:50:48tidal waters of the River Severn and are deposited onto the floodplains.
0:50:48 > 0:50:51Then they only have one goal - to find fresh water.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55They spend the next few years eating and building up their strength,
0:50:55 > 0:50:59getting ready for that epic journey back to Bermuda, where they mate
0:50:59 > 0:51:02and the cycle starts all over again.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05That is in the natural world but unfortunately for the eel,
0:51:05 > 0:51:07modern life got in the way a long time ago.
0:51:07 > 0:51:10To find out what is going on, I am meeting
0:51:10 > 0:51:13John Taylor from the Environment Agency for Wales.
0:51:13 > 0:51:16What is happening to our eels?
0:51:16 > 0:51:18The major factor is barriers to migration.
0:51:18 > 0:51:22Anywhere we have put a dam, or a weir, or water intake,
0:51:22 > 0:51:25or a flood defence barrier, and it stops the young eels migrating
0:51:25 > 0:51:30up their natural path, that is going to have an impact on their survival.
0:51:30 > 0:51:32Other things you could talk about is pollution.
0:51:32 > 0:51:34We know over the past 100 years or so,
0:51:34 > 0:51:38there have been many industrial chemicals that have
0:51:38 > 0:51:40gone into our rivers, pesticides from agriculture,
0:51:40 > 0:51:43and a lot of things, particularly 50, 60 years ago,
0:51:43 > 0:51:45were persistent in the environment.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48Because eels are a long lived animal and have a lot of fatty tissue,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51they will have accumulated a lot of those nasty chemicals.
0:51:51 > 0:51:52Over the years, over the decades.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Yes, which could have affected
0:51:54 > 0:51:57their reproduction when they swim out to the Sargasso Sea.
0:51:57 > 0:52:00John is working on a restocking project to evaluate
0:52:00 > 0:52:03eel survival rates in the area.
0:52:03 > 0:52:05Elvers are caught from the rivers and estuaries
0:52:05 > 0:52:09and farm raised here before being released into local freshwater.
0:52:09 > 0:52:13But first, they need to be tagged.
0:52:13 > 0:52:15How on earth do you tag an eel?
0:52:15 > 0:52:16These are some of the eels I am going to tag.
0:52:16 > 0:52:19They have been in an anaesthetic for five minutes.
0:52:19 > 0:52:21They are nicely relaxed.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23Having a good time in there.
0:52:23 > 0:52:24I daresay.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27It just means we don't damage them when we're handling them.
0:52:27 > 0:52:30- Also, the tag does not cause any pain.- What is the tag made of?
0:52:30 > 0:52:33It is a tiny bit of steel wire.
0:52:33 > 0:52:35I have got some here which I can show you.
0:52:35 > 0:52:36BEEPING
0:52:36 > 0:52:39- What is this going off? - That is the tag detector.
0:52:39 > 0:52:41That'll be my watch. Let's have a look.
0:52:41 > 0:52:43So it's 1.5 millimetres of that that's chopped off.
0:52:43 > 0:52:45Right, so just a little bit of wire.
0:52:45 > 0:52:48I'm looking for one that's properly anaesthetised now.
0:52:48 > 0:52:50Normally, you wouldn't be able to hold these.
0:52:50 > 0:52:54Everybody at home will definitely realise that.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57It's a tiny little needle. So that's been injected now.
0:52:57 > 0:52:59I am just going to check it is in there.
0:52:59 > 0:53:00BEEPING
0:53:00 > 0:53:03The beep tells me the tag is inside it.
0:53:03 > 0:53:06- It is like a piercing, really.- That's it. It is a very tiny small needle.
0:53:06 > 0:53:08It doesn't cause any lasting wound.
0:53:08 > 0:53:11There's no blood or anything like that. It recovers very quickly.
0:53:11 > 0:53:15When you do see these eels again in three, four, five years' time,
0:53:15 > 0:53:18what do you hope to have learned?
0:53:18 > 0:53:19Over several years,
0:53:19 > 0:53:22we should be able to pick up a picture of their survival.
0:53:22 > 0:53:25That will be key for us to determine how efficient the programme is,
0:53:25 > 0:53:27because it won't just be this life stage we're stocking.
0:53:27 > 0:53:30There will be smaller eels going in as well.
0:53:30 > 0:53:32We need to find out which is the most cost effective
0:53:32 > 0:53:34life stage to stock.
0:53:34 > 0:53:38But it's not just the Environment Agency doing their bit.
0:53:38 > 0:53:40I'm meeting Richard Cook, from a local eel smokery.
0:53:40 > 0:53:42He's been working with schools to help teach
0:53:42 > 0:53:46children about the eel's plight and its history.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49The eel story is a personal one for you, isn't it?
0:53:49 > 0:53:52The eel forms an important part of the ecology in this area.
0:53:52 > 0:53:54It's an important source of food.
0:53:54 > 0:53:57If you go back tens of years,
0:53:57 > 0:53:59it was a local dish.
0:53:59 > 0:54:02It was an important source of protein for the farm labourers,
0:54:02 > 0:54:05for the people that lived up and down the river.
0:54:05 > 0:54:09It is also an important source of food for all other mammals,
0:54:09 > 0:54:11birds, mink and other fish in the river.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13It has a tremendous part to play
0:54:13 > 0:54:16as an important source of food for everybody.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19These boys from Monmouth School have been taking
0:54:19 > 0:54:21care of a tank of eels in their classroom
0:54:21 > 0:54:24for the last 12 weeks to learn more about them up close.
0:54:24 > 0:54:26In the natural world, elvers only begin to eat
0:54:26 > 0:54:29when they reach fresh water.
0:54:29 > 0:54:31So the kids have been fattening them up. Today,
0:54:31 > 0:54:33they're going to help Richard release 20,000 of them
0:54:33 > 0:54:36into the lake, just a short hop over the hills.
0:54:36 > 0:54:39The first 5,000 eels are being released from the bank.
0:54:39 > 0:54:42Setting them free from different points of the lake spreads
0:54:42 > 0:54:46the population around and gives them the best chance of survival.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48We have lifted these fish out of an area
0:54:48 > 0:54:49where they are probably going to die
0:54:49 > 0:54:52and given them a really good start, a really good chance.
0:54:52 > 0:54:56I had better go and save my eels. You have got me all excited now!
0:54:56 > 0:54:58What have you learned about the eel?
0:54:58 > 0:55:00It is interesting how far they travel
0:55:00 > 0:55:04when they have just been born.
0:55:04 > 0:55:06It seems such a long journey,
0:55:06 > 0:55:08and then they have to go all the way back.
0:55:08 > 0:55:12- They are amazing, aren't they, to survive that journey?- Yes.
0:55:12 > 0:55:14Only 15,000 to go.
0:55:14 > 0:55:18Before these little fellows get released, they have one more journey.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21All aboard. There we go. Thank you.
0:55:21 > 0:55:26- How many's that? Ten?- Thank you.
0:55:28 > 0:55:31'Now we're heading out into the middle of the lake to let
0:55:31 > 0:55:34'the rest of the little wrigglers go. Here, they'll grow
0:55:34 > 0:55:36into strong and mature silver eels,
0:55:36 > 0:55:38'ready for the return journey to Bermuda.'
0:55:38 > 0:55:43OK, now, hang overboard, but do not fall in.
0:55:43 > 0:55:46Gently, gently let the water in.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49Let them get used to it. There we go. One's gone already.
0:55:49 > 0:55:54Be free, elvers, be free.
0:55:54 > 0:56:00Goodbye, little fellows, and good luck. Godspeed. Look at that.
0:56:00 > 0:56:03It is a medley of eels.
0:56:05 > 0:56:08'Eel fishing is heavily regulated,' but there's no limit
0:56:08 > 0:56:11on catch during the fishing season. Many end up
0:56:11 > 0:56:13on the plates of our continental neighbours,
0:56:13 > 0:56:15but for every eel that's caught and eaten,
0:56:15 > 0:56:19three more are returned to our rivers and lakes.
0:56:20 > 0:56:23'As a treat for the kids, Rich has cooked some up for them to try.
0:56:23 > 0:56:25'What will they make of them?'
0:56:25 > 0:56:28Come on, then. This is a bit of eel pie.
0:56:28 > 0:56:31Have a taste for me, and I would like your gourmet opinion, please. Go on.
0:56:31 > 0:56:33He is going for a proper bit.
0:56:33 > 0:56:39- Good.- Good? What does it taste of? What does it remind you of?
0:56:39 > 0:56:43- It's a bit like normal fish, but it's more tender.- More tender.
0:56:43 > 0:56:47- You see, you're loving this. - Julia!- Mr C!
0:56:47 > 0:56:49- Hello. How are you? - Very well. You?
0:56:49 > 0:56:53- I know you are not that fond of eating eel.- You are right.
0:56:53 > 0:56:54But I have got you this. Look.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56I thought you could stick it on your wall.
0:56:56 > 0:57:00- What a nice thought.- Isn't that lovely(!) That's it for this week.
0:57:00 > 0:57:02Next week, we'll be in Northumberland
0:57:02 > 0:57:05and I'm finding out all about the white-beaked dolphin.
0:57:05 > 0:57:06And you, finally...
0:57:06 > 0:57:09I will be revealing the winner of our photographic competition,
0:57:09 > 0:57:10chosen by you.
0:57:10 > 0:57:15- Who is it?- You have to wait. You have to wait.- Aw! You are such a tease.
0:57:15 > 0:57:16- See you next week. Bye.- Bye.
0:57:16 > 0:57:17He's lovely, isn't he?
0:57:39 > 0:57:42Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd